Country Stars and Broken Dreams
by KaySnap55
Summary: Set during the studio job. Eliot thinks back to his childhood and what could have been, if only he'd chosen the right path


"You could come with me you know?" Eliot gazed down at the blonde-haired beauty. She had no idea how badly she wanted to say yes. She had no idea how badly he wanted to throw away all the mistakes he'd ever made and go with her, start a career with her, make a life with her. But he'd done too much bad and not enough good, dug himself far too deep to ever get out.

When he was a kid he'd loved music. He loved to sing and play his guitar, and more then once that was how he'd impress the ladies. He could still remember when he'd gotten his first guitar. His mom had noticed he had been eyeing the one at the shop down the street and decided to get it for him on his birthday. He smiled slightly, gazing at the record dealers surrounding Caitlyn.

"_Momma is that what I think it is?" the young boy asked eagerly, examining the oddly wrapped package. His dad wrapped his arm around his mom's shoulders and smiled at his son. Standing a little off to the side was his older brother and sister, twins, and they were grinning at him. "You'll be our little country star." Rodney claimed, punching his shoulder playfully. Tearing the wrapping paper off the package, he let out a squeal when he saw the guitar. "Oh my gosh momma thank you so much!" Hugging his mom and dad hard, he scooped up the cherry red guitar made of cocobolo wood, the smooth texture felt just right against his skin._

"_When can I start lessons?" he asked. "Next week." Catherine chimed in, tying her dark hair up in a bun as she spoke. "You can get lessons from Ms. Joy." Eliot's face lit up. "She's the best!" he crowed, hugging his guitar. "This is the best present ever!"_

_According to Ms. Joy, Eliot was one of the fastest learners she'd ever taught. "He's a natural born country singer." She told his parents. "He's got talent, and lots of it. That boy could go places someday."_

_And he almost did. He was 14 when a record dealer showed up on his doorstep. However, the deal fell through when it turned out that the man was a fake. Stole almost all of their money, putting even more strain on Eliot's mother. Money was tight, excpecially after his father had died, but all the kids tried to help out. Catherine and Rodney both had jobs at the shops down the street, and Eliot preformed on corners every Saturday._

_He sang his way though high school, and shocked many people by going into the military. "You could make it as a singer Eliot!" Catherine had told him. "And you know it. Don't give up on your guitar Elly." He had just smiled and shook his head. "The country needs someone to protect them, and I think I'm just the man for the job." _

_Rodney had clapped his shoulder, looking proud, but deep down Eliot knew he was hurting. While Eliot had always been better at fighting and survival then his older brother, he knew that if anything ever happened to him (which it wouldn't) Rodney would be heartbroken. His mom had smoothed all the nonexistent wrinkles out, blinking back tears. "Ill miss you momma." He whispered, hugging her tightly. "Don't forget Eliot, you can always follow your dreams, no matter where you are."_

_Eliot had come home a broken man, no longer an eager boy excited to go to war. He'd seen things no one should have to see, and it got worse when he came home. His mother had died while he was away, a freak accident in the kitchen. The only thing that could be salvaged was his cherry guitar. A little scorched around the edges, but other then that it was in pristine condition. Catherine had handed it to him after the funeral. "You know what Momma would want you to do." She murmured thickly through the tears streaming down her cheeks._

_So he'd played his guitar after the service, right by her grave where everyone could see him. He fumbled in the beginning, his fingers not quite remembering everything he'd been taught. But his sister had stood at his left, and Rodney at his right, and somehow through his tears he managed to play, he played the songs she'd always loved. After that, he'd skipped town. Left his siblings in a haze of confusion. He hadn't looked back, not once._

_That's when he became a hitter. Somehow taking out his pain on all those people just made it all better. He knew he could never go home, never go anywhere near his family ever again. He had people from all different countries out for blood, and he couldn't let them hurt his siblings._

_Besides, he was no longer the man his siblings had known. They knew the boy who loved to play and sing, who picked up girls on the weekend and went out for movies and got reckless at parties. They knew the innocent Eliot. Not the dangerous once. He had more scars then he could count, more secrets then he could remember._

_Then Nate found him and he thought that maybe he could clean himself up, be the good guy for a while. Which he was! Kinda… he was like, a hitter dressed up like Robin Hood. But he never lost his singing dream. Never lost the hopes that maybe he could get on the big stage. It was a foolish hope he knew, but he still had it. Still practiced his guitar every weekend. _

And this was his chance, his chance to hit the big screen. His chance to go big. But he had to deny. He knew what would happen if he did. There was a price on his head and if he went viral, there would be men all over coming after him. After Caitlyn. And that couldn't happen.

So he declined. He saw the pitying look on her face. _Country stars and broken dreams Eliot, that's all you've gotten yourself. 50 miles down a road that you cant turn back on, 50 feet down a hole you dug yourself._


End file.
